Birthdays have changed for me over the years. When I was little, my parents always made it a big deal with a party, and friends, and hats, and cake with candles and all the rest. Today my birthday just isn't a big "hoopla" like it used to be. Many times we have a quiet kind with cards, a couple of gifts, nice family dinner together. Actually, it was getting to the point where my wife was hesitant to put candles on my cake. Yeah, she said there were so many she was afraid it was going to like set off the smoke detectors in our house. Come on! But it is getting tougher. The observance varies from year to year, but one thing is for sure. I always know when it's my birthday. You say, "Well, congratulations! Most people do." In fact, I have to write it on a lot of forms many times a year. And then I know when I was married, too. Did you know that? Aren't you proud of me? Yeah, I can even remember that. And I'd better remember the anniversary, you know, it was always important to remember that. Yeah. See, those are important beginnings. You know when they were (or you should).
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "You Didn't Know When You Were Born?"
Now, when you go flying; that is in an airplane, you don't try to talk your way on board. I do a lot of flying. You don't say, "Listen, don't you think I'm good looking? Don't you think I'm a nice guy? Would you let me on board?" They'd say, "No, sir. Where is your ticket?"
Did you know it's the same thing when it comes to getting into God's heaven? One day you and I are going to stand before God and hope that we'll spend forever in that wonderful place. You got your ticket? Well, where's your ticket?
John 3:3 - basically Jesus says, "Here's the ticket." He says, "I tell you the truth. No one can see the Kingdom of God..." Whoa! That's serious. "...unless he is born again." Wait! How do you do that? If that's the only ticket to get into God's heaven, you want to make sure that you are born again. So how does that happen? When does it happen?
Our word for today from the Word of God, John 1:12 says this, "To all who received Christ, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God." In other words, to get born into His family. Now, my first birthday, I was born into the Hutchcraft family. I know when that happened. On your second birth, you get born into God's family when you place your total trust in Christ and tell him you want him to enter the control room of your life.
There's no way to do that without knowing you did it. Now, do you know when you were born into God's family? Look, you may not remember a date; a lot of people don't. But you've got to remember that you did it to know that you did. If not, you might not be in God's family.
You say, "Well, I've been around Him for years. I must have picked Him up somewhere." Well, you don't get Jesus by osmosis. "Well, I believe it all." Well, see, agreement is not commitment. "Well, I can't remember not knowing about Him." Well, that doesn't mean you've given yourself to Him any more than knowing and even loving a person for fifty years means you married them.
Like birth, there's a day when no life becomes life. Choosing Christ is a conscious choice. You know you did it. You may have Christian beliefs, a Christian pedigree, a Christian reputation, even a Christian position and not have Christ. When were you born? If you don't know, if you're not sure that there was a day you began to be in God's family, well, maybe you're not in it.
But you know what? You could consciously today receive Him and get this settled for sure. Just don't be so proud that you won't make sure. Religious pride is going to cost a lot of people heaven. If you're not sure you belong to Him, why not have a day when you make sure? Why not let this be the day? The Bible says, "Today is the day of your salvation." Reach out and say, "Jesus, beginning today, consciously I give myself to you. I am yours."
Look, this would be a good time to check out our website. A lot of people go there. You can find there how to be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com. You let Christ in today, and your Heavenly Father will be the first to wish you "Happy Birthday!"